Business information and innovation management

ABSTRACT

A system constructed using one or more of the techniques described includes a job or outcome engine for storing a job or outcome data structure in accordance with a coherent relational model, a solution engine for storing a solution data structure in accordance with a coherent relational model, and a capability computation engine for matching the job or outcome to the solution to determine the extent to which the solution meets the needs of the job or outcome. The results can then be provided to a commercial activity server for the purpose of acting on identified solutions that meet needs better than current solutions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/209,764 filed Mar. 10, 2009, which is incorporated by reference. This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/563,969, filed Sep. 21, 2009, which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Today's modern business enterprises require and make use of sophisticated information systems to acquire vital insights into the performance or prospective future performance of their business relative to goals, market metrics, competitive information, and the like. This class of information products is known in the field today as Management Information Systems (MIS) or Business Intelligence (BI) tools. In addition businesses seek better ways to identify the right strategies and new ideas that can help them grow, and information solutions supporting these objectives are often referred to as Collaboration Technologies, and Innovation Management Systems. Collectively these information systems fall under the general category of Enterprise and Marketing Intelligence Systems and represent a critical part of today's business software and information systems marketplace.

While data management and reporting technologies have advanced to become adept at efficiently retrieving information stored in these systems and generating reports, the problem that plagues all these systems is the lack of a unifying information framework, or ontology, that provides a stable and fundamental frame of reference that is absolute and consistently meaningful across all domains for gleaning business insights or for facilitating value creation. The lack of an ontology means that evaluations on the information gathered are highly subjective and dependent on interpretation, and that each information domain tends to exist as an island where local rules prevail, rather than as a part of an integrated whole. The problems this creates for business are innumerable; consequently MIS and BI systems today, while enabling better informed decisions, have failed to deliver on their promise of transforming management decision making. For example, these systems can easily track the sales results and underlying demographics for a particular market, but utterly fail at providing any empirically defensible prediction, save extrapolation of past results, around whether these results are sustainable or what impact a new idea will have. More generally, the lack of a valid unifying and quantifiable frame of reference for business insight and intelligence means that compromises are made in making decisions and projections into future business impacts are largely guesswork. This problem has always existed in business information analysis and decision making, and it is a root cause of many mistaken beliefs and failures in business information technology initiatives.

SUMMARY

Presented herein are techniques for facilitating commercial activity using a coherent relational model that includes jobs and outcomes, and solutions to one or more of the jobs and outcomes. Using one of the techniques, an entity can, for example, identify new product opportunities, assess the threat from market changes, quantify future economic value and development investment uncertainty, and provide information to capital markets related to asset value compared to others in its sectors.

A system constructed using one or more of the techniques can include a collective set of data structures, uniquely designed entities, information tools, and/or computational and machine methods useful to store, append, interact with, retrieve, process, and present data and information in a fashion that enables associations to be made between the entities and the jobs and outcomes that pertain to actual or potential markets of an enterprise, which have been identified using a methodology that facilitates the creation of a coherent relational model between jobs and outcomes and actual or potential solutions to those jobs and outcomes. Through the associations, users can attain insights and explore innovations and new business strategies that are virtually unworkable without the system.

A system constructed using one or more of the techniques described includes a job or outcome engine for storing a job or outcome data structure in accordance with a coherent relational model, a solution engine for storing a solution data structure in accordance with a coherent relational model, and a capability computation engine for matching the job or outcome to the solution to determine the extent to which the solution meets the needs of the job or outcome. The results can then be provided to a commercial activity server for the purpose of acting on identified solutions that meet needs better than current solutions.

Processes/decisions that can potentially be improved using a technique described in the detailed description can include, for example, Primary Market Research, Use of Secondary Market Research, Product Management and Marketing Strategy, Marketing Communications, R&D, New Product Development, General Business Strategy, Innovation Strategy, Innovation Collaboration, Ideation, Business Case Analysis, IP Strategy, and Mergers & Acquisition Strategy and Due Diligence. Business insights that can potentially be improved using a technique described in the detailed description can include, for example, Competitive Intelligence and Industry Benchmarking, Unmet Market Demand, Modeling of underlying market trends, Cause and Effect of Marketing Communications Results, New Technology Assessments and Scouting, and New Product/Platform or other Growth Investment Risk/Return. These improvements are intended to be examples, not limitations, and some of them may not be achieved in certain implementations of the techniques.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a system including a universal strategy and innovation management system (USIMS) server.

FIG. 2 depicts an example of a USIMS system.

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for external data integration.

FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of an example of a competitive assessment method.

FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart of an example of a needs delivery of current products method.

FIG. 6 depicts a flowchart of an example of a needs delivery enhancement strategy method.

FIG. 7 depicts a flowchart of an example of a needs based IP strategy method.

FIG. 8 depicts a flowchart of an example of a consumption chain needs delivery method.

FIG. 9 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for computationally enabling and enhancing an ODI process.

FIG. 10 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for creating an innovation strategy.

FIGS. 11-15 depict flowcharts of examples of market growth strategy methods.

FIG. 16 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for facilitating the creation of an overall growth blueprint.

FIG. 17 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for facilitating the development of a consumption chain improvement strategy.

FIG. 18 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for facilitating qualitative research.

FIG. 19 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for facilitating quantitative research.

FIG. 20 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for identifying opportunities.

FIG. 21 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for segmenting the market.

FIG. 22 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for defining the targeting strategy.

FIG. 23 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for conceptualizing breakthroughs.

FIG. 24 depicts a flowchart of an example of a method for innovation management.

FIG. 25 depicts an example of an integrated innovation platform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a system 100 including a universal strategy and innovation management system (USIMS) server. In the example of FIG. 1, the system 100 includes a network 102, a USIMS server 104, clients 106-1 to 106-N (referred to collectively as the clients 106), an Outcome Driven Innovation (ODI) data repository 108, and optional components including: a mail server 110, a mail data repository 112, a document management applications (DMA) server 114, and a document data repository 116.

In the example of FIG. 1, the network 102 can include a networked system that includes several computer systems coupled together, such as the Internet. The term “Internet” as used herein refers to a network of networks that uses certain protocols, such as the TCP/IP protocol, and possibly other protocols such as the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) for hypertext markup language (HTML) documents that make up the World Wide Web (the web). Content is often provided by content servers, which are referred to as being “on” the Internet. A web server, which is one type of content server, is typically at least one computer system which operates as a server computer system and is configured to operate with the protocols of the World Wide Web and is coupled to the Internet. The physical connections of the Internet and the protocols and communication procedures of the Internet and the web are well known to those of skill in the relevant art. For illustrative purposes, it is assumed the network 102 broadly includes, as understood from relevant context, anything from a minimalist coupling of the components, or a subset of the components, illustrated in the example of FIG. 1, to every component of the Internet and networks coupled to the Internet.

A computer system, as used in this paper, is intended to be construed broadly. In general, a computer system will include a processor, memory, non-volatile storage, and an interface. A typical computer system will usually include at least a processor, memory, and a device (e.g., a bus) coupling the memory to the processor.

The processor can be, for example, a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), such as a microprocessor, or a special-purpose processor, such as a microcontroller.

The memory can include, by way of example but not limitation, random access memory (RAM), such as dynamic RAM (DRAM) and static RAM (SRAM). The memory can be local, remote, or distributed. As used in this paper, the term “computer-readable storage medium” is intended to include only physical media, such as memory. As used in this paper, a computer-readable medium is intended to include all mediums that are statutory (e.g., in the United States, under 35 U.S.C. 101), and to specifically exclude all mediums that are non-statutory in nature to the extent that the exclusion is necessary for a claim that includes the computer-readable medium to be valid. Known statutory computer-readable mediums include hardware (e.g., registers, random access memory (RAM), non-volatile (NV) storage, to name a few), but may or may not be limited to hardware.

The bus can also couple the processor to the non-volatile storage. The non-volatile storage is often a magnetic floppy or hard disk, a magnetic-optical disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), such as a CD-ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM, a magnetic or optical card, or another form of storage for large amounts of data. Some of this data is often written, by a direct memory access process, into memory during execution of software on the computer system. The non-volatile storage can be local, remote, or distributed. The non-volatile storage is optional because systems can be created with all applicable data available in memory.

Software is typically stored in the non-volatile storage. Indeed, for large programs, it may not even be possible to store the entire program in the memory. Nevertheless, it should be understood that for software to run, if necessary, it is moved to a computer-readable location appropriate for processing, and for illustrative purposes, that location is referred to as the memory in this paper. Even when software is moved to the memory for execution, the processor will typically make use of hardware registers to store values associated with the software, and local cache that, ideally, serves to speed up execution. As used herein, a software program is assumed to be stored at any known or convenient location (from non-volatile storage to hardware registers) when the software program is referred to as “implemented in a computer-readable storage medium.” A processor is considered to be “configured to execute a program” when at least one value associated with the program is stored in a register readable by the processor.

The bus can also couple the processor to the interface. The interface can include one or more of a modem or network interface. It will be appreciated that a modem or network interface can be considered to be part of the computer system. The interface can include an analog modem, isdn modem, cable modem, token ring interface, satellite transmission interface (e.g. “direct PC”), or other interfaces for coupling a computer system to other computer systems. The interface can include one or more input and/or output (I/O) devices. The I/O devices can include, by way of example but not limitation, a keyboard, a mouse or other pointing device, disk drives, printers, a scanner, and other I/O devices, including a display device. The display device can include, by way of example but not limitation, a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or some other applicable known or convenient display device.

In one example of operation, the computer system can be controlled by operating system software that includes a file management system, such as a disk operating system. One example of operating system software with associated file management system software is the family of operating systems known as Windows® from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., and their associated file management systems. Another example of operating system software with its associated file management system software is the Linux operating system and its associated file management system. The file management system is typically stored in the non-volatile storage and causes the processor to execute the various acts required by the operating system to input and output data and to store data in the memory, including storing files on the non-volatile storage.

Some portions of the detailed description may be presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of operations leading to a desired result. The operations are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. The signals take on physical form when stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as memory or non-volatile storage, and can therefore, in operation, be referred to as physical quantities. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it should be appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not necessarily inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems may be used with programs to configure the general purpose systems in a specific manner in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct specialized apparatus to perform the methods of some embodiments. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below. Thus, a general purpose system can be specifically purposed by implementing appropriate programs. In addition, the techniques are not described with reference to any particular programming language, and various embodiments may thus be implemented using a variety of programming languages.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 1, in the example of FIG. 1, the USIMS server 104 is coupled to the network 102. The USIMS server 104 can be implemented on a known or convenient computer system, specially purposed to provide USIMS functionality. The USIMS server 104 is intended to illustrate one server that has the novel functionality, but there could be practically any number of USIMS servers coupled to the network 102 that meet this criteria. Moreover, partial functionality might be provided by a first server and partial functionality might be provided by a second server, where together the first and second server provide the full functionality.

Functionality of the USIMS server 104 can be carried out by one or more engines. As used in this paper, an engine includes a dedicated or shared processor and, hardware, firmware, or software modules that are executed by the processor. Depending upon implementation-specific or other considerations, an engine can be centralized or its functionality distributed. An engine can include special purpose hardware, firmware, or software embodied in a computer-readable medium for execution by the processor. Examples of USIMS functionality are described with reference to FIGS. 4-24.

In the example of FIG. 1, the clients 106 are coupled to the network 102. The clients 106 can be implemented on one or more known or convenient computer systems. The clients 106 use the USIMS functionality provided by the USIMS server 104. Depending upon the implementation and/or preferences, the clients 106 can also carry out USIMS functionality. Depending upon the implementation and/or preferences, in addition to or instead of using the USIMS functionality provided by the USIMS server 104, the clients 106 can provide ODI or other useful data to the USIMS server 104. The clients 106 can also be USIMS-agnostic, and take advantage of USIMS functionality without implementing any novel functionality on their own.

In the example of FIG. 1, the ODI data repository 108 is coupled to the USIMS server 104. The ODI data repository 108 has data that is useful to the USIMS server 104 for providing the USIMS functionality. The ODI data repository 108 can store data entities, such as those described later with reference to FIG. 24. The ODI data repository 108, and other repositories described in this paper, can be implemented, for example, as software embodied in a physical computer-readable medium on a general- or specific-purpose machine, in firmware, in hardware, in a combination thereof, or in any applicable known or convenient device or system. This and other repositories described in this paper are intended, if applicable, to include any organization of data, including tables, comma-separated values (CSV) files, traditional databases (e.g., SQL), or other known or convenient organizational formats.

In an example of a system where the ODI data repository 108 is implemented as a database, a database management system (DBMS) can be used to manage the ODI data repository 108. In such a case, the DBMS may be thought of as part of the ODI data repository 108 or as part of the USIMS server 104, or as a separate functional unit (not shown). A DBMS is typically implemented as an engine that controls organization, storage, management, and retrieval of data in a database. DBMSs frequently provide the ability to query, backup and replicate, enforce rules, provide security, do computation, perform change and access logging, and automate optimization. Examples of DBMSs include Alpha Five, DataEase, Oracle database, IBM DB2, Adaptive Server Enterprise, FileMaker, Firebird, Ingres, Informix, Mark Logic, Microsoft Access, InterSystems Cache, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Visual FoxPro, MonetDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Progress, SQLite, Teradata, CSQL, OpenLink Virtuoso, Daffodil DB, and OpenOffice.org Base, to name several.

Database servers can store databases, as well as the DBMS and related engines. Any of the repositories described in this paper could presumably be implemented as database servers. It should be noted that there are two logical views of data in a database, the logical (external) view and the physical (internal) view. In this paper, the logical view is generally assumed to be data found in a report, while the physical view is the data stored in a physical storage medium and available to, typically, a specifically programmed processor. With most DBMS implementations, there is one physical view and a huge number of logical views for the same data.

A DBMS typically includes a modeling language, data structure, database query language, and transaction mechanism. The modeling language is used to define the schema of each database in the DBMS, according to the database model, which may include a hierarchical model, network model, relational model, object model, or some other applicable known or convenient organization. An optimal structure may vary depending upon application requirements (e.g., speed, reliability, maintainability, scalability, and cost). One of the more common models in use today is the ad hoc model embedded in SQL. Data structures can include fields, records, files, objects, and any other applicable known or convenient structures for storing data. A database query language can enable users to query databases, and can include report writers and security mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access. A database transaction mechanism ideally ensures data integrity, even during concurrent user accesses, with fault tolerance. DBMSs can also include a metadata repository; metadata is data that describes other data.

In the example of FIG. 1, the optional mail server 110 is coupled to the network 102, to the USIMS server 104, and to the mail data repository 112. The mail data repository 112 stores data in a format that is useful to the mail server 110. In this example, the mail server 110 is considered an “external application” in the sense that the format of data in the mail data repository 112 is not necessarily in the same format as in the ODI data repository 108. To the extent mail data is used by the USIMS server 104 in this example, it is assumed that the mail data has been translated into a format that is useful to the USIMS server 104, which may or may not be necessary depending upon the implementation. For example, in another implementation, the mail server 110 could be implemented as an integrated application in the sense that the format of data in the mail data repository 112 is in the same format as in the ODI data repository 108. In this implementation, it is possible that no translation of the data stored in the mail data repository 112 into another format would be necessary.

Particularly where the USIMS server 104 functions as a business process management (BPM) server, it may be desirable to enable the USIMS server 104 to have access to mail data. BPM, as used in this paper, is a technique intended to align organizations with the needs of clients by continuously improving processes. BPM is an advantageous implementation because it tends to promote business efficacy while striving for innovation and integration with technology.

It should be noted that business process modeling and business process management are not the same, and, confusingly, share the same acronym. In this paper, business process management is given the acronym BPM, but business process modeling is not given an acronym. Business process modeling is often, though not necessarily, used in BPM. Business process modeling is a way of representing processes in systems or software. The models are typically used as tools to improve process efficiency and quality, and can use Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) or some other notation to model business processes.

A business process, as used in this paper, is a collection of related, structured activities or tasks that produce a service or product for a particular client. Business processes can be categorized as management processes, operational processes, and supporting processes. Management processes govern the operation of a system, and include by way of example but not limitation corporate governance, strategic management, etc. Operational processes comprise the core business processes for a company, and include by way of example but not limitation, purchasing, manufacturing, marketing, and sales. Supporting processes support the core processes and include, by way of example but not limitation, accounting, recruiting, technical support, etc.

A business process can include multiple sub-processes, which have their own attributes, but also contribute to achieving the goal of the super-process. The analysis of business processes typically includes the mapping of processes and sub-processes down to activity level. A business process is sometimes intended to mean integrating application software tasks, but this is narrower than the broader meaning that is frequently ascribed to the term in the relevant art, and as intended in this paper. Although the initial focus of BPM may have been on the automation of mechanistic business processes, it has since been extended to integrate human-driven processes in which human interaction takes place in series or parallel with the mechanistic processes.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 1, the optional DMA server 114 is coupled to the network 102, to the USIMS server 104, and to the document data repository 116. The document data repository 116 stores data in a format that is useful to the DMA server 114. In this example, the DMA server 114 is considered an “external application” in the sense that the format of data in the document data repository 116 is not necessarily in the same format as in the ODI data repository 108. To the extent document data is used by the USIMS server 104 in this example, it is assumed that the document data has been translated into a format that is useful to the USIMS server 104, which may or may not be necessary depending upon the implementation. For example, in another implementation, the DMA server 114 could be implemented as an integrated application in the sense that the format of data in the document data repository 116 is in the same format as in the ODI data repository 108. In this implementation, it is possible that no translation of the data in the document data repository 116 into another format would be necessary.

The USIMS server 104 can, of course, be coupled to other external applications (not shown) either locally or through the network 102 in a known or convenient manner. The USIMS server 104 can also be coupled to other external data repositories.

The USIMS system 100 is but one example of systems with which techniques described in this paper can be used. For example, the ODI database 108 could be replaced with some other database that enables storage of a coherent relational model that includes jobs and outcomes, solutions, and other data.

FIG. 2 depicts an example of a USIMS system 200. In the example of FIG. 2, the system 200 includes a job or outcome engine 202, a jobs and outcomes repository 204, a solution engine 206, a solutions repository 208, a capability computation engine 210, a capability/constraint difference repository 211, and a commercial activity server 212. The system 200 can also include clients 214-1 to 214-N (collectively, clients 214) that are coupled to the commercial activity server.

In the example of FIG. 2, the job or outcome engine 202 can make use of various engines to obtain data that can be used to parameterize jobs and outcomes. For example, a search engine that includes one or more communications protocols could be used to find data. An example of one such protocol is the financial information exchange (FIX) protocol for electronic communication of trade-related messages. It is a self-describing protocol in many ways similar to other self-describing protocols such as XML. (XML representation of business content of FIX messages is known as FIXML.) FIX Protocol, Ltd. was established for the purpose of ownership and maintenance of the specification and owns the specification, while keeping it in the public domain.

FIX is provided as an example in this paper because FIX is a standard electronic protocol for pre-trade communications and trade execution. Another example of a protocol is Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).

Yet another example is FIX adapted for streaming (FAST) protocol, which is used for sending multicast market data. FAST was developed by FIX Protocol, Ltd. to optimize data representation on a network, and supports high-throughput, low latency data communications. In particular, it is a technology standard that offers significant compression capabilities for the transport of high-volume market data feeds and ultra low latency applications. Exchanges and market centers offering data feeds using the FAST protocol include: New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Archipelago, Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), International Securities Exchange (ISE), to name a few.

The job or outcome engine 202, making use of a search engine, can search data streams for relevant data for tagging; identifying competitors; and populating product, market communications, service programs, NPD tables, etc. When the various products, competitors, and the like are found, they can be integrated into the core ODI model by storing relevant data entities in the relevant repositories in a coherent relational manner.

As another example, the job or outcome engine 202 could use a process engine implemented, for example, as a BPM engine or a BPM suite (BPMS). An example of a BPMS is Bluespring's BPM Suite 4.5. However, any applicable known or convenient BPM engine could be used. Of course, the BPM engine must meet the needs of the system for which it is used, and may or may not work “off the shelf” with techniques described in this paper.

As another example, the job or outcome engine 202 could use a segmentation engine that facilitates segmenting a market. This can involve providing data manipulation tools to facilitate compiling and loading data sets into external statistical analysis packages, providing tools to interact with statistical analysis and modeling packages and import additional metadata tags into a job/outcome data schema, and/or providing utilities to enhance the visual representation and tabular reporting of the statistical data properties.

As another example, the job or outcome engine 202 could use a metadata engine implemented as a data analysis engine that tags data records algorithmically, appends meta-data associated with business information to data records, facilitates pipeline prioritization, facilitates calculation, ranking and reporting of opportunity scores, facilitates interaction with data, and performs other functionality that makes data more useful in a BI context.

As another example, the job or outcome engine 202 could use a strategy engine implemented as a business intelligence (BI) tool. An example of a BI tool is Microsoft Office PERFORMANCEPOINT® Server, or Microsoft's SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), which can be used to create analytical cubes for querying. An advantage of PerformancePoint® and SRS is that they are integrated with other Microsoft Office products, such as Excel, Visio, SQL Server, SHAREPOINT® Server, and the like, and have monitoring and analytic capabilities (e.g., Dashboards, Scorecards, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Reports, Filters, and Strategy Maps), and planning and budgeting capabilities. Using the toolset, one can create data source connections, create views that use the data source connections, assemble the views in a dashboard, and deploy the dashboard to Microsoft Office SHAREPOINT® Server 2007 (MOSS) or Windows SHAREPOINT® Services, and can save content and security information to a SQL sever database. Using the toolset, one can also define, modify, and maintain logical business models integrated with business rules, workflows, and enterprise data. It should be noted that the scope of the PERFORMANCEPOINT® product has grown with time, and some of the capabilities may seem to overlap with some of the other engines in the Application Layer 202.

In general, a strategy engine can include tools that are useful for pulling in data from various sources so as to facilitate strategic planning, such as needs delivery enhancement strategy, needs-based IP strategy, innovation strategy, market growth strategy, consumption chain improvement strategy, etc. It is probably desirable to ensure that the tools in the strategy engine are user-friendly, since human input is often desirable for certain strategic planning.

As another example, the job or outcome engine 202 could include a reporting engine implemented as SSRS to prepare and deliver interactive and printed reports. Crystal Reports is another implementation, and any applicable known or convenient BI tool could be used. It is frequently seen as an advantage to have reports that can be generated in a variety of formats including Excel, PDF, CSV, XML, TIFF (and other image formats), and HTML Web Archive, which SSRS can do. Other report generators can offer additional output formats, and may include useful features such as geographical maps in reports.

In the example of FIG. 2, the job or outcome engine 202 could include a collaboration engine implemented as a MOSS. It should be noted that Windows SHAREPOINT® Services (WSS) might actually provide adequate functionality to serve as a collaboration engine, but the MOSS can bolted on top to provide additional services and functionality. MOSS and similar technologies can include browser-based collaboration and document management, plus the ability to host web sites that access shared workspaces and documents, as well as specialized applications like wikis and blogs; and tools can enable the MOSS to serve as a social networking platform. There are many conventional collaboration tools that could be used as or as part of the collaboration engine implementation, including, by way of example but not limitation, adenine IntelliEnterprise, Alfresco, Nuxeo, Cisco WebEx Connect, Liferay portal, Drupal, eXo Platform, IBM Lotus Notes, O3 spaces, OnBase, Novell—Teaming and Conferencing link, Open Text Corporation's Livelink ECM—Extended Collaboration, Oracle Collaboration Suite, MediaWiki, and Atlassian Confluence.

In general, an applicable known or convenient tool that acts as a collaborative workspace and/or tool for the management or automation of business processes could be implemented. Collaborative technologies are tools that enable people to interact with other people within a group more efficiently and effectively. So even email discussion lists and teleconferencing tools could function as a collaboration engine; though sophisticated tools are likely to encompass much more. For example, it is probably desirable to enable users to have greater control in finding, creating, organizing, and collaborating in a browser-based environment. It may also be desirable to allow organization of users in accordance with their access, capabilities, role, and/or interests.

As another example, the job or outcome engine 202 could include a transaction engine that provides interaction between engines capable of writing to or reading from the jobs and outcomes repository 204. If a data stream is being provided, a transformation rules engine may or may not transform the data into an appropriate format. Similarly, if data is being provided from the jobs and outcomes repository 204 to an engine that can make no, or limited, use of the data, the transformation rules engine can transform the data to some other format. In a specific implementation, the transformation rules engine is only needed when interfacing with external devices because all internal devices can use data in a standard format.

As another example, the job or outcome engine 202 could include an ETL engine that extracts data from outside sources, transforms the data to fit operational requirements, and loads the transformed data into the jobs and outcomes repository 204. The ETL engine can store an audit trail, which may or may not have a level of granularity that would allow reproduction of the ETL's result in the absence of the ETL raw data. A typical ETL cycle can include the following steps: initialize, build reference data, extract, validate, transform, stage, audit report, publish, archive, clean up.

In operation, the ETL engine can extract data from one or more source systems, which may have different data organizations or formats. Common data source formats are relational databases and flat files, but can include any applicable known or convenient structure, such as, by way of example but not limitation, Information Management System (MIS), Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM), Indexed Sequential Access Method (ISAM), web spidering, screen scraping, etc. Extraction can include parsing the extracted data, resulting in a check if the data meets an expected pattern or structure.

In operation, the ETL engine transforms the extracted data by applying rules or functions to the extracted data to derive data for loading into a target repository. Different data sources may require different amounts of manipulation of the data. Transformation types can include, by way of example but not limitation, selecting only certain columns to load, translating coded values, encoding free-form values, deriving a new calculated value, filtering, sorting, joining data from multiple sources, aggregation, generating surrogate-key values, transposing, splitting a column into multiple columns, applying any form of simple or complex data validation, etc.

In operation, the ETL engine loads the data into the target repository. In a particular implementation, the data must be loaded in a format that is usable to the system 200, perhaps using a transformation rules engine. Loading data can include overwriting existing information or adding new data in historized form. The timing and scope to replace or append are implementation- or configuration-specific.

The ETL engine can make use of an established ETL framework. Some open-source ETL frameworks include Clover ETL, Enhydra Octopus, Mortgage Connectivity Hub, Pentaho Data Integration, Talend Open Studio, Scriptella, Apatar, Jitterbit 2.0. A freeware ETL framework is Benetl. Some commercial ETL frameworks include Djuggler Enterprise, Embarcadero Technologies DT/Studio, ETL Solutions Transformation Manager, Group 1 Software DataFlow, IBM Information Server, IBM DB2 Warehouse Edition, IBM Cognos Data Manager, IKAN—ETL4ALL, Informatica PowerCenter, Information Builders—Data Migrator, Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Oracle Data Integrator, Oracle Warehouse Builder, Pervasive Business Integrator, SAP Business Objects—Data Integrator, SAS Data Integration Studio, to name several.

A business process management (BPM) server, such as Microsoft BizTalk Server, can also be used to exchange documents between disparate applications, within or across organizational boundaries. BizTalk provides business process automation, business process modeling, business-to-business communication, enterprise application integration, and message broker.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system used to coordinate resources, information, and activities needed to complete business processes, can also be accessed. Data derived from an ERP system is typically that which supports manufacturing, supply chain management, financials, projects, human resources, and customer relationship management from a shared data repository.

Derived data can also be Open Innovation (OI) data, which is an outside source of innovation concepts. This can include transactional data (send a network of outside problem solvers Opportunities for new ideas and receive the ideas back) and unstructured data (repository of ideas) for searching.

In the example of FIG. 2, the job or outcome engine 202 can have access to various data, such as data associated with customers, including customer profile, customer jobs region, and customer outcomes region. In a specific implementation, a customer profile region can include customer profile records that include customer identifier (ID) and profile attributes. The customer ID can be in accordance with a public key infrastructure (PKI). The profile attributes can include fields associated with, for example, demographics, customer of . . . , products used, job role, customer chain role, consumption chain role, outcome-driven segments, and attitudinal segments. The customer jobs region can include a customer type code (note that customer ID and customer type code can be dual PKIs), job map models, scoring tables, and raw data tables. The customer outcomes region can include a customer type code, job/outcome model tables, scoring tables, and raw data tables. Other data can include price sensitivity data tables, which can include jobs and outcomes (note that jobs and outcomes can be implemented as dual PKIs) and fields that include customer IDs. Other data can include a translation data region including customer file translation tables, product/service offerings translation tables, sales and marketing campaigns translation tables, innovation concepts translation tables, business development translation tables, and external data translation tables. In a specific implementation, the customer file translation tables include a customer ID to customer type code translation table. In a specific implementation, the product/service offerings translation tables can include job/outcomes as PKIs and cross-references indicating relevance for product/service offerings, company products (subsystems and parts, service programs), competitor products (subsystems, service programs), and pipeline products. In a specific implementation, the sales and marketing campaigns translation tables can include job/outcome as PKIs and cross-references indicative of relevance for sales campaigns and marketing campaigns (company and competitor). In a specific implementation, the innovation concepts translation tables can include job/outcomes as PKIs and cross-references indicative of new product development, R&D roadmap, sales and service concepts, and new marketing positioning and branding concepts. In a specific implementation, the business development translation tables can include job/outcome PKIs and cross references indicative of new M&A targets and new strategic partners. In a specific implementation, the external data translation tables can include job/outcome PKIs and cross-references indicative of patent records, open innovation database records, and trade publication records.

The various data entities can be integrated with the core coherent relational model around, by way of example but not limitation, products, platforms, projects, competitors, technologies/IP, campaigns, organization, resources, and performance. At least in part because the model is coherent and relational, by way of example but not limitation, opportunity data, context information, prompts for sparking creativity, and management decisions can be implemented within a systematized idea generation process. For example, in a certain context, it may be the case that a limited number of parameters become relevant, and therefore prompts associated with such a context can be used to spark creativity by addressing one or more of the limited number of parameters.

Advantageously, customer needs can be captured as the needs related to a market, goods, and services. A core functional job can have emotional jobs (e.g., personal jobs and social jobs) and other functional jobs (e.g., jobs indirectly related to core job and jobs directly related to core job), each of which can be analyzed using a uniform metric. During a concept innovation phase, a job can be broken down into multiple steps, each step potentially having multiple outcomes associated with it. Desired outcomes are the metrics customers use to measure the successful execution of a job. When the outcomes are known or predicted, the concept innovation stage passes into the devise solution stage, and then a design innovation stage where consumption chain jobs are identified, such as purchase, receive, install, set-up, learn to use, interface, transport, store, maintain, obtain support, upgrade, replace, dispose, to name several. Then it is time to design/support a solution.

Using the various data, which is represented as input 216 in the example of FIG. 2, to understand the needs, the job or outcome engine 202 can create a needs-based job or outcome record including at least one constraint parameter associated with a needs-based job or outcome. The constraint parameter is associated with the parameters that solutions must have to meet the need, and do the job or accomplish the outcome. A given solution must normally fall within the bounds of the constraint parameter to meet the need, though it might be possible to come close to meeting the need if a solution falls outside of the bounds of the constraint parameter. A solution that falls within the bounds of the constraint parameter will not necessarily be ideal. For example, a first solution might have a relatively higher cost (in time or resources) to meet a need than a second solution. Indeed, in many cases, a “perfect” solution is more of an ideal than a reality.

In the example of FIG. 2, the job or outcome engine 202 stores a job or outcome record in the jobs and outcomes repository 204. It is important for the records stored in the jobs and outcomes repository 204 to be compatible with a coherent relational model. Thus, the records will tend to have a uniform data structure that can be matched to solutions, each of which also have a uniform data structure. While different jobs and outcomes may have different relevant fields, the data structure as a whole should meet the requirement of enabling matching of relevant solutions to a job or outcome record.

In the example of FIG. 2, the solution compatibility engine 206 can make use of various engines, such as those described with reference to the job or outcome engine 202, to obtain data that can be used to parameterize solutions. It may be desirable for the solution compatibility engine 206 to have access to the jobs and outcomes repository 204 for the purpose of determining the jobs and outcomes that are known, though this is not required. Advantageously, since records are stored in accordance with a coherent relational model, it should be possible to match solutions to jobs and outcomes after the solutions have been stored, even without knowledge of a job or outcome to which it will later be matched.

Using the various data, which is represented as input 218, which may or may not include data from the job or outcome engine 202, in the example of FIG. 2, to understand solutions for various real or potential needs, the solution engine 206 can create a solutions record including a capability parameter indicative of a degree of capability of a solution in achieving a needs-based job or outcome using the constraint parameter (note that the actual comparison with the constraint parameter may not take place until later, when determining the degree of compatibility between solutions and jobs or outcomes). The capability parameter is associated with the parameters that identify the capabilities, costs, and other factors of solutions to meet needs.

In the example of FIG. 2, the solution engine 206 stores a solution record in the solutions repository 208. It is important for the records stored in the solutions repository 208 to be compatible with a coherent relational model. Thus, the records will tend to have a uniform data structure that can be matched to jobs and outcomes, each of which also have a uniform data structure. While different solutions may have different relevant fields, the data structure as a whole should meet the requirement of enabling matching of relevant jobs or outcomes to a solution record.

In the example of FIG. 2, the job or outcome engine 202 and the solution engine 206 are coupled to the capability computation engine 210. It may be noted that all three, or a subset of the three, could be combined into a single engine and/or the job or outcome engine 202 and the solution engine 206 could be used to populate the jobs and outcomes repository 204 and solutions repository 208, but not act as an interface for the capability computation engine 210, which could have direct access to the repositories; the actual layout of the engines and repositories is intended to be conceptual in nature.

The capability computation engine 210 can make use of various engines, such as those described with reference to the job or outcome engine 202, to obtain data (not shown) that can be used to identify how effectively a solution meets a need for a job or outcome. The capability computation engine 210 can create a capability/constraint difference record including a difference between the capability parameter for a solution and one or more constraints associated with a constraint parameter of a job or outcome. This could be triggered by a specific command, or the capability computation engine 210 could crunch through several jobs or outcomes and solutions to see what needs are unmet or are inadequately met. Regardless of when the computation occurs, the capability computation engine 210 compares a capability parameter indicative of a degree of capability of a solution in achieving a job or outcome using a constraint parameter of a job or outcome record to obtain a capability/constraint difference record, which can be stored in the capability/constraint difference repository 211.

In the example of FIG. 2, the capability computation engine 210 is coupled to the commercial activity server 212. The commercial activity server 212 can make use of various engines, such as those described with reference to the job or outcome engine 202, to obtain data that can be used to make recommendations, provide useful data, or the like.

In the example of FIG. 2, in operation, the commercial activity server 212 identifies a job or outcome, identifies a solution in association with the job or outcome, and facilitates management of commercial actions taken in association with the difference between the constraint parameter of the job or outcome and the capability parameter of the solution. Since the commercial activity server 212 includes processing functionality, it can be referred to as an “engine.” The capability/constraint difference record is useful for the purpose of determining which solutions will yield the highest relative improvements in meeting the needs of a job or outcome. For example, if a first solution to a job costs twice as much as a second solution to the job, then it may be desirable to look into whether the second solution to the job can be provided. In this way, it is possible to, for example, target areas in which innovation can provide the greatest rewards.

In the example of FIG. 2, the clients 214 are coupled to the commercial activity server 212. Here, the term “client” is used because servers are typically referred to as serving clients. The term is intended to be construed broadly. The clients 214 make use of the recommendations, data, etc. that is provided to them by the commercial activity server 212.

FIGS. 3-23 are provided to illustrate various optional functions of a USIMS system making use of an ODI reference model.

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart 300 of an example of a method for external data integration. The benefit of external integration is to normalize disparate enterprise market data from exogenous sources into a job/outcome reference model of ODI. Advantageously, enterprises can cull information from these sources into a consistent and searchable model of the marketplace. This method and other methods are depicted as serially arranged modules. However, modules of the methods may be reordered, or arranged for parallel execution as appropriate.

In the example of FIG. 3, the flowchart 300 starts at module 302 with tagging external data records with job/outcome identifiers using new algorithms that transform data into new data structures, such as the data entities described with reference to FIG. 2. The new algorithms begin with identifying whether a job or outcome of interest relates to a specific field-of-use or solution context, or to a general purpose solution such as a technology used by many systems.

Depending on whether the answer is specific or general, the system assigns an appropriate search strategy embodied within a string of external data sources that can include appropriate solutions. For outcomes associated with specific fields-of-use the search strategy includes specific and highly qualified external data sources which can include, for example, particular patent classification sub classes, trade or academic publications, or other applicable data.

For outcomes associated with general purpose needs the system determines systematically the best sources for new enabling technologies or solutions by automatically identifying and weighting these through a routine like modern textual search. The process continues by searching records found through this method for text strings that include synonymous terms for the objects of control or action from the particular outcome or job of interest. The process completes by recording the existence of this match as a data tag appended to the external data record identifying the outcome/job that was matched and a score value is assigned representing the closeness of this match.

In the example of FIG. 3, the flowchart 300 continues to module 304 with estimating a level to which the solution described in the external record satisfies the job/outcome of interest. The solution can satisfy the job/outcome of interest either objectively or subjectively by manual expert scoring or through available crowd sourcing scores and recording this as coefficients. Crowd sourcing scores might, for example, be derived from patent citations, web page visits, records of the success of the inventor/author in the field of use in general, novel real options based scores of large communities of connected users, or other methods to capture group opinion on the value of solutions to increase satisfaction of the job/outcome of interest.

In the example of FIG. 3, the flowchart 300 continues to module 306 with productionalizing in translation tables.

In the example of FIG. 3, the flowchart 300 continues to module 308 with incorporating into query code. It is likely that queries and reports will be desirable in a system implemented in accordance with one or more of the techniques described in this paper. Such reports may be ad hoc or pre-formed. Ad hoc reports may include solution value added assessments, business case extracts, marketing and sales campaigns needs extracts, or other queries as necessary to provide functionality required or desired to perform uses of a system implemented in accordance with one or more of the techniques described in this paper. Some examples of ad hoc reports are given below:

Solution value added assessment is an ad hoc use having the same general purpose as a needs delivery enhancement strategy report (see, e.g., FIG. 6), but constructed specifically to assess the marketability of a particular solution concept during ideation. It may incorporate a process such as that described with reference to the example of FIG. 3, flowchart 300, module 304.

Business case extracts of the database is an ad hoc use to assess the return on investment (ROI) of particular solutions. The extracts can be used by other reports, or separate business case models to facilitate or improve enterprise investment decision making. The data values extracted include, for example, job/outcome importance, satisfaction, and opportunity scores (both raw and in processed forms), customer data, satisfaction improvement estimates of solutions (see, e.g., FIG. 3), cost and pricing data, and other applicable information.

Marketing and sales campaigns needs extracts are ad hoc reports to assess the market effect of new marketing and sales campaigns based on positioning a product to address unmet needs or otherwise using similar insights to design and assess new marketing and sales campaigns. Like other data in the coherent relational model, data entities can be integrated around the products and campaigns.

FIGS. 4-8 depict examples of pre-formed query methods. FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart 400 of an example of a competitive assessment method. Advantageously, a competitive assessment will enable an enterprise to quantitatively analyze a probable marketplace effectiveness of known customer-facing activities of its competitors, and forecast impacts to its own business plans.

In the example of FIG. 4, the flowchart 400 starts at module 402 with identifying competitors. Competitors can be identified explicitly, found through search, ETL, or the like, or a combination of these. Competitors can also be identified later in the process, for example after a market becomes more defined.

In the example of FIG. 4, the flowchart 400 continues to module 404 with populating product, market communications, service programs, NPD tables, etc.

In the example of FIG. 4, the flowchart 400 continues to module 406 with estimating satisfaction coefficients through customer data analysis, manual estimation, or crowd sourcing and may incorporate a process such as that described with reference to the example of FIG. 3, flowchart 300, module 304.

In the example of FIG. 4, the flowchart 400 continues to module 408 with productionalizing in translation tables.

In the example of FIG. 4, the flowchart 400 continues to module 410 with incorporating into query code.

FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart 500 of an example of a needs delivery of current products method. Advantageously, a needs delivery of current products will provide an enterprise with a flexible reporting engine to assess how well the current state of products are fulfilling the needs of customers across many different referential dimensions (e.g., functional needs, emotional needs, consumption chain needs, platforms, market segments, etc.).

In the example of FIG. 5, the flowchart 500 starts at module 502 with determining assessment and reporting criteria.

In the example of FIG. 5, the flowchart 500 continues to module 504 with selecting a needs and product set based on the criteria.

In the example of FIG. 5, the flowchart 500 continues to module 506 with selecting meta-data for a report based on the criteria.

In the example of FIG. 5, the flowchart 500 continues to module 508 with analyzing and displaying importance, satisfaction, and opportunity data.

In the example of FIG. 5, the flowchart 500 continues to module 510 with preparing and displaying meta-data reports (e.g., un-penetrated economic opportunity).

FIG. 6 depicts a flowchart 600 of an example of a needs delivery enhancement strategy method. Advantageously, a needs delivery enhancement strategy builds upon the prior use to assess the level of enhancement that pipeline innovations are likely to deliver to the current business portfolio. This may include a product roadmap and R&D.

In the example of FIG. 6, the flowchart 600 starts at module 602 with determining assessment and reporting criteria.

In the example of FIG. 6, the flowchart 600 continues to module 604 with selecting needs and markets based on the criteria.

In the example of FIG. 6, the flowchart 600 continues to module 606 with querying current products, NPD projects, and/or R&D initiatives for needs enhancements.

In the example of FIG. 6, the flowchart 600 continues to module 608 with analyzing and displaying importance, satisfaction, and opportunity data and can incorporate a process such as that described with reference to FIG. 3, flowchart 300, module 304.

In the example of FIG. 6, the flowchart 600 continues to module 610 with preparing and displaying a needs-gaps report.

In the example of FIG. 6, the flowchart 600 continues to module 612 with preparing and displaying meta-data strategy reports (e.g., un-penetrated economic opportunity).

FIG. 7 depicts a flowchart 700 of an example of a needs based IP strategy method. Advantageously, a needs-based IP strategy can enable an enterprise to efficiently scout internal and external sources of IP, technologies, and other innovation solutions to secure advantages in pursuing strategies to satisfy unmet market needs.

In the example of FIG. 7, the flowchart 700 starts at module 702 with determining assessment and reporting criteria.

In the example of FIG. 7, the flowchart 700 continues to module 704 with selecting a product or technology set based on the criteria.

In the example of FIG. 7, the flowchart 700 continues to module 706 with identifying matching enterprise IP.

In the example of FIG. 7, the flowchart 700 continues to module 708 with displaying needs addressed by the IP.

In the example of FIG. 7, the flowchart 700 continues to module 710 with analyzing and displaying needs un-addressed by the IP with opportunity assessment data.

In the example of FIG. 7, the flowchart 700 continues to module 712 with importing needs tagged external patent records and outside innovation records.

In the example of FIG. 7, the flowchart 700 continues to module 714 with preparing and displaying reports on IP acquisition, defense, and development priorities.

FIG. 8 depicts a flowchart 800 of an example of a consumption chain needs delivery method. Advantageously, a consumption chain needs delivery can enable an enterprise to assess disparate needs and associated importance levels of participants in consumption chains of the enterprise's products in order to optimize investments for sales impact.

In the example of FIG. 8, the flowchart 800 starts at module 802 with constructing a consumption chain job map with mapping tools.

In the example of FIG. 8, the flowchart 800 continues to module 804 with querying ODI needs data tables for matching job/outcome data.

In the example of FIG. 8, the flowchart 800 continues to module 806 with appending meta-data on importance level on participant in consumption chain in purchasing decisions.

In the example of FIG. 8, the flowchart 800 continues to module 808 with appending economic business case data quantifying the particular consumption cases.

In the example of FIG. 8, the flowchart 800 continues to module 810 with generating reports for price sensitivity data collection.

In the example of FIG. 8, the flowchart 800 continues to module 804 with generating lever reports to isolate economic opportunities in satisfying consumption chain needs.

FIG. 9 depicts a flowchart 900 of an example of a method for computationally enabling and enhancing an ODI process. In the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 starts at module 902 with creating an innovation strategy.

FIG. 10 depicts a flowchart 1000 of an example of a method for creating an innovation strategy. In the example of FIG. 10, the flowchart 1000 starts at module 1002 with facilitating gathering of baseline data on strategy variables. This may include, for example, conducting an inventory of a current strategic roadmap for qualitative impact assessment and/or conducting an inventory of anecdotal data and hypotheses on unmet and over-served needs.

In the example of FIG. 10, the flowchart 1000 continues to module 1004 with generating reports that facilitate the decision of prioritizing projects to pursue viable objectives in a market growth strategy. Five market growth strategies are provided as examples herein, and it should be recognized that at module 1004, reports could be generated to facilitate the decision of prioritizing projects to pursue viable objectives in one or more market growth strategies, with the number depending upon implementation and/or configuration. The examples of market growth strategies are: 1) grow or protect a high-share market, 2) aggressively grow a low-share market the enterprise is already in, 3) enter an attractive market that others are already in, 4) enter a new or emerging high growth market, 5) find a market for a new or emerging technology.

FIGS. 11-15 depict flowcharts of examples of market growth strategy methods that advantageously use ODI data to assess economic valuation and risks of different market growth strategies. FIG. 11 depicts a flowchart 1100 of an example of a method for growing or protecting a high-share market. In the example of FIG. 11, the flowchart 1100 starts at module 1102 with reporting on key trends and competitive position in core markets. For example, the report can include share, position, response to key trends, strengths, weaknesses, or other applicable information.

In the example of FIG. 11, the flowchart 1100 continues to module 1104 with facilitating qualitative impact assessment of developing core market innovations to a strategic roadmap. For example, the assessment can include how many pipeline products are touched, whether ODI projects will enhance or detract from the pipeline product (and how much), the dollar value of pipeline products touched, the revenue value of pipeline products touched, and other applicable information.

In the example of FIG. 11, the flowchart 1100 continues to module 1106 with facilitating inventory of value delivery platforms within each core market. In at least one implementation, it is considered advantageous to collect inventory in formation, and store the information in data tables that are being integrated relationally to job/outcome data.

In the example of FIG. 11, the flowchart 110 continues to module 1108 with facilitating a qualitative risk, cost, and benefit assessment of the different innovation strategies on the core market platform. For example, the assessment can include platform innovation, business model innovation, features, and other applicable information.

FIG. 12 depicts a flowchart 1200 of an example of a method for aggressively growing a low-share market the enterprise is already in. In the example of FIG. 12, the flowchart 1200 starts at module 1202 with facilitating inventory of attractive low share markets.

In the example of FIG. 12, the flowchart 1200 continues to module 1204 with reporting on key trends and competitive position in underperforming markets. For example, the report can include share, position, response to key trends, strengths, weaknesses, and other applicable information.

In the example of FIG. 12, the flowchart 1200 continues to module 1206 with facilitating inventory of value delivery platforms within underperforming markets. As mentioned previously, in at least one implementation, it is considered advantageous to collect inventory in formation, and store the information in data tables that are being integrated relationally to job/outcome data.

In the example of FIG. 12, the flowchart 1200 continues to module 1208 with facilitating a qualitative risk, cost, and benefit assessment of applying different innovation strategies to underperforming market platforms. For example, the assessment can include platform innovation, business model innovation, feature development, and other applicable information.

FIG. 13 depicts a flowchart 1300 of an example of a method for entering an attractive market that others are already in. In the example of FIG. 13, the flowchart 1300 starts at module 1302 with facilitating inventory of attractive new but proven markets. As mentioned previously, in at least one implementation, it is considered advantageous to collect inventory in formation, and store the information in data tables that are being integrated relationally to job/outcome data.

In the example of FIG. 13, the flowchart 1300 continues to module 1304 with reporting on key trends and competitive position in new markets. For example, the report can include share, position, response to key trends, strengths, weaknesses, and other applicable information. Moreover, the reports can be made part of the relational data model as well.

In the example of FIG. 13, the flowchart 1300 continues to module 1306 with facilitating a qualitative risk, cost, and benefit assessment of developing new value delivery platforms for the new market. The assessment information can be made part of the relational data model and inventory capture functionality.

FIG. 14 depicts a flowchart 1400 of an example of a method for entering a new or emerging high growth market. In the example of FIG. 14, the flowchart 1400 starts at module 1402 with facilitating inventory of new and emerging high growth markets. As mentioned previously, in at least one implementation, it is considered advantageous to collect inventory in formation, and store the information in data tables that are being integrated relationally to job/outcome data.

In the example of FIG. 14, the flowchart 1400 continues to module 1404 with reporting on key trends and competitive position in emerging high growth markets. For example, the report can include share, position, response to key trends, strengths, weaknesses, and other applicable information. The information can be made part of the relational data model and inventory capture functionality.

In the example of FIG. 14, the flowchart 1400 continues to module 1406 with facilitating a qualitative risk, cost, and benefit assessment of developing new value delivery platforms for the new market.

FIG. 15 depicts a flowchart 1500 of an example of a method for finding a market for a new or emerging technology. In the example of FIG. 15, the flowchart 1500 starts at module 1502 with facilitating inventory of new and emerging technologies. As mentioned previously, in at least one implementation, it is considered advantageous to collect inventory in formation, and store the information in data tables that are being integrated relationally to job/outcome data.

In the example of FIG. 15, the flowchart 1500 continues to module 1504 with facilitating a qualitative risk, cost, and benefit assessment of developing new value delivery platforms incorporating the new technology.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 10, the flowchart 1000 continues to module 1006 with facilitating the creation of an overall growth blueprint. Advantageously, the growth blueprint can enable the business to orchestrate and prioritize the market growth strategy through the use of the ODI data. If multiple market growth strategies are pursued, multiple growth blueprints may be created. The overall growth blueprint can, in addition, identify or facilitate the identification of particular market growth initiatives in implementing the market growth strategy through the use of the ODI data.

FIG. 16 depicts a flowchart 1600 of an example of a method for facilitating the creation of an overall growth blueprint. In the example of FIG. 16, the flowchart 1600 starts at module 1602 with consolidating the inventory of jobs and demographics (the markets) in which the company competes or seeks to compete. The consolidation can include, for example, an evaluation of possible market growth strategies. As mentioned previously, in at least one implementation, it is considered advantageous to collect inventory in formation, and store the information in data tables that are being integrated relationally to job/outcome data.

In the example of FIG. 16, the flowchart 1600 continues to module 1604 with facilitating support to pursue a market growth initiative in a growth path model deemed available for the market of interest. The support may include, for example, using a growth paths model to facilitate a subjective assessment of the growth blueprint for one or more markets of interest. It may be desirable to evaluate the likelihood of desired outcomes, company-executable actions, and costs to satisfy assumptions, conditions precedent, and management decision criteria that must be present to support pursuing the market growth initiative. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 16, the flowchart 1600 continues to module 1606 with generating a growth blueprint. The growth blueprint can represent, for example, management's selection of markets of interest, associated market growth initiatives with the presumptive growth paths game plan, and other applicable data. Criteria and strategies associated with this can be made part of the relational data model. To generate the growth blueprint, it may be desirable to compile actions on plan dependencies that must be taken to satisfy conditions deemed necessary for the success of the game plan. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 10, the flowchart 1000 continues to module 1008 with facilitating the development of a consumption chain improvement strategy.

FIG. 17 depicts a flowchart 1700 of an example of a method for facilitating the development of a consumption chain improvement strategy. In the example of FIG. 17, the flowchart 1700 starts at module 1702 with facilitating an estimation of a quantitative business impact from known or suspected consumption chain bottlenecks. Facilitating the estimation can include facilitating an inventory of known and suspected consumption chain bottlenecks to aid in the estimation. It may also be desirable to sort priority bottlenecks into the consumption chain jobs of, for example: purchase, receive, install, set-up, learn to use, interface, transport, store, maintain, dispose, or some other applicable category.

In the example of FIG. 17, the flowchart 1700 continues to module 1704 with facilitating compilation of consumption chain growth plan dependencies. The consumption chain growth plan dependencies can be compiled automatically or by an expert user, depending upon implementation and/or preference. Automated features can search growth plan dependencies for terms that match or are associated with the consumption chain jobs of, for example: purchase, receive, install, set-up, learn to use, interface, transport, store, maintain, dispose, or some other applicable category.

In the example of FIG. 17, the flowchart 1700 continues to module 1706 with aggregating the consumption chain jobs requiring opportunity research and prioritizing into a game plan.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 continues to module 904 with aggregating outcomes. Aggregating outcomes can include facilitating qualitative research (FIG. 18) or quantitative research (FIG. 19).

FIG. 18 depicts a flowchart 1800 of an example of a method for facilitating qualitative research. In the example of FIG. 18, the flowchart 1800 starts at module 1802 with providing a generic hierarchy of jobs job map template and note taking tools to map the job of interest and important related jobs.

In the example of FIG. 18, the flowchart 1800 continues to module 1804 with providing outcome gathering common questions to ask.

In the example of FIG. 18, the flowchart 1800 continues to module 1806 with providing a shared environment for users to net outcomes down to the critical set. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 18, the flowchart 1800 continues to module 1808 with providing an automated tool to translate other primary and secondary market research into outcome statements.

In the example of FIG. 18, the flowchart 1800 continues to module 1810 with relating the primary and secondary research that has been translated and/or indexed into ODI terms back to core ODI data records. It may be the case that some of these records are created anew and some are pre-existing; so the relationships can be the means to cross-reference the exogenous primary/secondary research with the core ODI data.

FIG. 19 depicts a flowchart 1900 of an example of a method for facilitating quantitative research. In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 starts at module 1902 with extracting job and outcome statements directly into web survey tools.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1904 with facilitating procurement of customer lists for direct quantitative research. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1906 with providing rule-based utilities to assign survey participants to segments or groups for later analytical purposes. It may be desirable to provide tools and utilities to tag survey participants with screening and segmentation factors. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1908 with providing tools to deploy surveys directly to customers, screen out known survey abusers, and randomize data collection for reliability. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1910 with assessing customer response data validity through co-variance assessments on like outcomes.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1912 with automating collection of price sensitivity input during initial quantitative research.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1914 with providing tools to import survey response data directly into the data model. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1916 with providing tools to optionally distribute data with population averages back to survey participants to encourage customer engagement. These tools, while useful, are optional.

In the example of FIG. 19, the flowchart 1900 continues to module 1918 with providing search tools to find other jobs and outcomes from other company or benchmark research reports and a utility for affinity-tagging. The search tools can be automated. The benchmark research reports can be Strategyn™ benchmark research reports. The affinity-tagging can be used to record associations and facilitate insights and inferences between related factors of separate studies. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 continues to module 906 with identifying opportunities.

FIG. 20 depicts a flowchart 2000 of an example of a method for identifying opportunities. In the example of FIG. 20, the flowchart 2000 starts at module 2002 with automating calculation, ranking, and reporting of opportunity scores with associated metadata. It may be desirable to provide report design tools to customize query logic used to build reports.

In the example of FIG. 20, the flowchart 2000 continues to module 2004 with building and displaying opportunity landscape diagrams.

In the example of FIG. 20, the flowchart 2000 continues to module 2006 with providing graphic based utilities to enhance and interact with data depicted in the landscapes. This can facilitate identifying, for example, affinities and correlation factors with other data points in the landscape, particular solution concepts, market growth strategies, market growth paths, dependencies/insights on assumptions, conditions precedent, decision criteria related to management investment decisions, and other applicable information.

In the example of FIG. 20, the flowchart 2000 continues to module 2008 with providing graphic based utilities to enhance and modify visual representations of data within landscape diagrams. This can enable a user to accentuate, for example, relationships, properties of data points, or other insights. Other capabilities of the utilities can include enabling visualization of economic opportunity from satisfying unmet needs and integration of statistical modeling methods to a project. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 20, the flowchart 2000 continues to module 2010 with providing tools to drill into metadata and analyze it qualitatively. These tools can be used, for example, to determine market strategies and prioritizing commercial activities in the work flow engine.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 continues to module 908 with segmenting the market.

FIG. 21 depicts a flowchart 2100 of an example of a method for segmenting the market. In the example of FIG. 21, the flowchart 2100 starts at module 2102 with providing data manipulation tools to facilitate compiling and loading of datasets into external statistical analysis packages.

In the example of FIG. 21, the flowchart 2100 continues to module 2104 with providing tools to interact with statistical analysis and modeling packages and import additional metadata tags into a job/outcome data schema. The metadata tags may include, for example, cluster affinity scores. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 21, the flowchart 2100 continues to module 2106 with providing utilities to enhance the visual representation and tabular reporting of the statistical data properties.

Referring once again to the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 continues to module 910 with defining the targeting strategy.

FIG. 22 depicts a flowchart 2200 of an example of a method for defining the targeting strategy. In the example of FIG. 22, the flowchart 2200 starts at module 2202 with providing a tool to meta-tag jobs and outcome statements in respective data entities with correlation values. The correlation values are useful to assess alignment of current and future solutions with opportunities of interest. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 22, the flowchart 2200 continues to module 2204 with providing a tool for end users to meta-tag jobs and outcome statements in respective data entities with other thematic tags. The thematic tags are useful to facilitate collaborative ideation and business case development. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 22, the flowchart 2200 continues to module 2206 with delivering real-time tabular and visual representations of the tagged jobs and outcomes to facilitate innovation collaboration.

In the example of FIG. 22, the flowchart 2200 continues to module 2208 with providing exports of jobs and outcomes. The exports can be useful to facilitate external solution sourcing and imports of respondent solutions into the data entities supporting reporting. This capability can be controlled by user privileges.

In the example of FIG. 22, the flowchart 2200 continues to module 2210 with providing a utility to scout, cull, assess the value of, and organize external sources of pre-made solutions against jobs and outcomes. The jobs and outcomes can include, for example, new technologies and inventions.

In the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 continues to module 912 with positioning current offerings. This can be automated using capabilities described above with reference to one or more of modules 902-910.

In the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 continues to module 914 with prioritizing the pipeline. Prioritizing the pipeline can include providing a tool set to automate prioritization of a business' new product development, R&D, and business development by leveraging the capability. This may involve a process similar to that described above with reference to FIG. 6.

In the example of FIG. 9, the flowchart 900 continues to module 916 with conceptualizing breakthroughs.

FIG. 23 depicts a flowchart 2300 of an example of a method for conceptualizing breakthroughs. In the example of FIG. 23, the flowchart 2300 starts at module 2302 with synthesizing the preceding functionality of FIGS. 20-22 to facilitate collaborative discovery of innovation breakthroughs addressing considerable unmet market needs. The information and inputs it operates on can include scored ODI jobs/outcomes (see, e.g., FIG. 9, module 910), information on reasons need-gaps exist in terms of customer, technical, and competitive contexts, management criteria, value platforms, products, and knowledge of emerging technologies. The context information can include textual, quantitative, and multimedia information.

In the example of FIG. 23, the flowchart 2300 continues to module 2304 with isolating particularly attractive opportunities. Opportunities can be attractive, for example, to disrupt current platforms with new platforms or technologies having advantages in cost over current platforms yet delivering satisfaction along outcomes and jobs that are balanced with importance.

In the example of FIG. 23, the flowchart 2300 continues to module 2306 with providing tools that compare similar jobs in markets having similar outcomes, and sharing related platform-enabling-technology-paradigms. The tools can look across similar jobs in markets using either internal or external sources. The same or related platform-enabling-technology-paradigms might include, for example, technologies that are associated with electronic storage media. This tool is useful to postulate technology redeployment strategies and chart potential pathways of technology-based disruption and new platform breakthroughs.

FIG. 24 depicts a flowchart 2400 of an example of a method for innovation management. In the example of FIG. 24, the flowchart 2400 starts at module 2402 with creating a job or outcome record including at least one constraint parameter associated with a job or outcome. The record can be any applicable data structure that includes constraint parameters that bound characteristics of a solution that will meet a need of the job or outcome. The purpose of the constraint parameter is to facilitate the identification of needs-gaps, and any applicable parameter or plurality of parameters that serves this purpose can be used. The parameters need not be specifically associated with a constraint, and could be derived from information stored in association with a job or outcome. For the purposes of this example, the “constraint parameter” exists even where various information is used to derive it, regardless of whether computation or evaluation or reorganization of data is desirable to determine the needs-gap. Moreover, the particular constraint parameter may not be known until the job or outcome record is compared to, for example, a solution. For example, comparing two different solutions to the same job or outcome record could result in two different constraint parameters derived from different data associated with the job or outcome record.

In the example of FIG. 24, the flowchart 2400 continues to module 2404 with storing the job or outcome record in accordance with a coherent relational model. In order to have a coherent relational model, the record must have a format that is similar to other job or outcome records such that the various job or outcome records can be matched to solutions that also fit into the coherent relational model.

In the example of FIG. 24, the flowchart 2400 continues to module 2406 with creating a solution record including a capability parameter indicative of a capability of a solution to meet the needs of the job or outcome using the constraint parameters. The record can be any applicable data structure that includes capability parameters that can be matched to a constraint parameter of a job or outcome record such that the constraint parameter bounds the capability parameter. The purpose of the capability parameter is to facilitate the identification of needs-gaps, and any applicable parameter or plurality of parameters that serves this purpose can be used. The parameters need not be specifically associated with a capability, and could be derived from information stored in association with a solution. For the purposes of this example, the “capability parameter” exists even where various information is used to derive it, regardless of whether computation or evaluation or reorganization of data is desirable to determine the needs-gap. Moreover, the particular capability parameter may not be known until the solution record is compared to, for example, a job or outcome. For example, comparing two different jobs or outcomes to the same solution record could result in two different capability parameters derived from different data associated with the solution record.

In the example of FIG. 24, the flowchart 2400 continues to module 2408 with storing the solution record in accordance with a coherent relational model. In order to have a coherent relational model, the record must have a format that is similar to other solution records such that the various solution records can be matched to job or outcome records that also fit into the coherent relational model.

In the example of FIG. 24, the flowchart 2400 continues to module 2410 with computing a difference between the capability parameter for the solution and one or more constraints associated with the constraint parameter for the job or outcome. In practice, it is unusual for a solution to perfectly meet the needs associated with a job or solution. However, it is possible to identify a first solution for a job or outcome that is currently being used and identify a second solution for the job or outcome that is being used in a difference context, or has not been implemented in practice, that better meets the needs. For example, the second solution might require less expertise on the part of an engineer to implement, require less time to implement, require fewer resources to implement, or may enable concurrent implementation of the solution during a bottleneck of a production process, to name a few examples. The difference can includes multiple different characteristic areas (e.g., cost and time), some of which might be better in one characteristic area and worse in others, but are better for some reason (e.g., enabling concurrent operation with another bottlenecked process). Therefore, although it might be useful to refer to some solutions as having a bigger difference (i.e., the solutions are not as effective at meeting the needs) it should be noted that a superior solution might still be inferior in certain respects, but is better in the aggregate for a specific job or outcome.

In the example of FIG. 24, the flowchart 2400 continues to module 2412 with identifying the job or outcome and the solution in association with the job or outcome. Typically, multiple solutions, if they are known to the system, will be applied to a job or outcome to produce multiple different options. For illustrative simplicity in this example, it is assumed that the best match of solution to job or outcome is found for use in module 2414.

In the example of FIG. 24, the flowchart 2400 ends at module 2414 with facilitating management of commercial actions taken in association with the difference between the constraint parameter and the capability parameter. Commercial actions might include taking no action because the new solution is not sufficiently superior to an old solution, attempting to further identify reasons why the identified solution is superior in certain contexts, attempting to obtain patent protection for an idea that is fleshed out in observation of the potential improved solution, to name a few examples.

The flowchart 2400 can, of course, be repeated at various stages, including finding another solution that appears to be superior in some context (e.g., an originally identified first solution might have higher cost than a later identified second solution, and although the higher cost might be “worth it” in one context, the higher cost might not be “worth it” in another context; or it may be the case that a human can identify reasons why the identification failed to find the superior solution on the first attempt due to inadequate intelligence on the part of the system), or attempting to match a different job or outcome to the identified solution, or attempting to find solutions to jobs or outcomes that are part of a larger process, to name a few examples.

The flowchart 2400 can also be used in the context of selecting a growth strategy that includes organizing data around a market and optionally storing research results to improve the data (modules 2402-2408), determining under/overserved jobs or outcomes in the market and optionally determining how many under/overserved needs exist in outcome-based and job-based market segments if segment data exists (modules 2410-2412), and selecting and prioritizing which growth paths to pursue for the market and for specific outcome-based and job-based segments (module 2414). Additional actions that can be taken in association with module 2414 include gaining management agreement on pursuit of growth strategies (priority, timing, etc.), obtaining cost, timing, and boundary inputs from management for each targeted growth path, obtaining prioritized evaluation criteria from management for each targeted growth path, defining a pool of potential participants for idea generation, concept convergence, evaluation, concept testing, etc., collecting analogies/examples of creativity triggers, and signing up to get data pushed to an employee. Some of these additional activities could include refining the data and reexecuting the flowchart 2400. Similar techniques can be employed for business model idea generation and for feature idea generation.

FIG. 25 depicts an example of an integrated innovation platform 2500. Advantageously, the platform 2500 enables an enterprise to incorporate operational information from the enterprise and relate that to the ODI data for the purposes of, for example, enterprise performance management, resource allocation, and idea creation. The platform 2500 includes a coherent relational model 2502, multidimensional data analysis and metadata engines 2504, a collaboration and knowledge integration platform 2506, and value added workflow engines 2508.

The coherent relational model 2502 includes systems, such as described earlier in this paper, that store jobs and outcomes, solutions, and other data in a relational database. The model can include, for example, a relational ODI data environment. The model will likely include various features and engines that facilitate input, output, reorganization, and association of data.

The multidimensional data analysis and metadata engines 2504 are take advantage of the organization of the coherent relational model 2502. Conceptually, the engines are “built on top of” the coherent relational model 2502. Alternatively, the engines could be considered part of or an extension of the coherent relational model 2502. Multidimensional data analysis, as used in this paper, is essentially impossible to accomplish in a practical, useful manner without an underlying methodology that supports association of disparate solutions to jobs and outcomes, and comparisons between other disparate records (e.g., jobs and outcomes to jobs and outcomes, solutions to solutions, and other data to other conceptually, contextually, or otherwise dissimilar data). Metadata engines facilitate the association of various records on a metadata level, possibly without higher level “data” analysis, or can be used in conjunction with multidimensional data analysis.

The collaboration and knowledge integration platform 2506 provides the underlying data in a useful format to facilitate collaboration between humans or business entities, and to integrate new data into the existing relational model. The data derived by the collaboration and knowledge integration platform 2506 can “trickle down” to the multidimensional data analysis and metadata engines 2504 to further enhance or “tweak” the coherent relational model 2502.

The value added workflow engines 2508 are the “top level” of the platform 2500, and, in operation, provide insights, in the form of, for example, related insights data and media 2510 to an enterprise 2512. It may be noted that the related insights data and media 2510 could be connected to the collaboration and knowledge integration platform 2506 and passed through to the value added workflow engines 2508 and, as always, data from the coherent relational model 2502 can be passed up through the layers of the platform 2500, and other data (such as the related insights data and media 2510) passed down for integration into the coherent relations model 2502. The more the value added workflow engines 2508 learn about various aspects of the enterprise 2512, the better the insights will be related to what the enterprise 2512 does. This is because any data received about the enterprise 2512 is itself integrated into the coherent relational model 2502 (in this example, through the higher layers of the platform 2500). To this end, the enterprise 2512 can provide inputs, in the form of, for example, activities, assets, priorities, and constraints 2514. It may be noted that the activities, assets, priorities, and constraints 2514 can be recycled back to the enterprise 2512 with the aid of value added workflow engines 2508, and could, as always, be passed down to the coherent relational model 2502 for integration. In the example of FIG. 25, the inputs from the enterprise 2512 are provided back into the platform 2500 in the form of innovation inputs, and outputs from the value added workflows can be provided in the form of innovation results. This is conceptually illustrated in the example of FIG. 25 by the box 2516, which shows innovation inputs directed toward the value added workflow engines 2508 and innovation results directed away from the platform 2500. It may be noted that the related insights may or may not include “innovation results.”

It is assumed that the coherent relational model 2502 will also be updated from time to time by extracting new data 2518 from markets and solvers 2520 in an automated fashion, though this would not include extracting new data in a manual fashion. The new data 2518 can be provided to the platform 2500 as innovation inputs and/or as raw data. Although the automated acquisition of the new data 2518 is believed to be desirable, it is, strictly speaking, optional, since a system could function without it after being built, at least for a time, in a “demo” build, or for some other reason.

Advantageously, by teaching the platform 2500 activities, assets, priorities, and constraints of the enterprise 2512, the value added workflow engines 2508 can enable the enterprise 2512 to create new ideas and allocate resources (assets) toward researching and/or implementing the new ideas, as well as other ideas that might be gleaned from the coherent relational model 2502 during a innovation cycle. Since the coherent relational model 2502 provides contextualized jobs and outcomes and solutions data, the enterprise 2512 is more likely to match solutions to needs, and to allocate resources to the jobs or outcomes that will benefit the most from the allocation. That is, the enterprise 2512 can allocate resources to the jobs or outcomes that have the largest needs-gap, or identify needs that are entirely unmet. It may be noted that an unmet need is for practical purposes no different than a poorly met need in the sense that the needs-gap is still determined, and it may be the case that the needs-gap is greater for a poorly met need than an unmet need. Or, stated differently, an unmet need is a job or outcome that has the solution “do nothing,” which may or may not have an explicit representation as a solution in the coherent relational model 2502.

Using the platform 2500, the methods illustrated in FIGS. 3-24, a USIMS server, such as is illustrated in FIG. 1 or 2, is capable of providing integration of data entities around products, platforms, projects, competitors, technologies/IP, campaigns, organization, resources, and performance with the core data model (e.g., an ODI data model), and integration of opportunity data, context information, prompts for sparking creativity, and management decision criteria within a systematized idea generation process.

Engines, as used in this paper, refer to computer-readable media coupled to a processor. The computer-readable media have data, including executable files, which the processor can use to transform the data and create new data. The engines transform data and create new data using implemented data structures, such as is described with reference to FIG. 2, and implemented methods, such as are described with reference to the various flowcharts.

The detailed description discloses examples and techniques, but it will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art that modifications, permutations, and equivalents thereof are within the scope of the teachings. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims include all such modifications, permutations, and equivalents. While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the applicant contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms.

For example, where this is an application in the United States, while only one aspect of the invention is recited as a means-plus-function claim under 35 U.S.C sec. 112, sixth paragraph, other aspects may likewise be embodied as a means-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being embodied in a computer-readable medium. (Any claims intended to be treated under 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6 will begin with the words “means for”, but use of the term “for” in any other context is not intended to invoke treatment under 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6.) Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention. 

1. A system comprising: a needs-based job or outcome engine, wherein, in operation, the needs-based job or outcome engine creates a needs-based job or outcome record including at least one constraint parameter associated with a needs-based job or outcome, and stores the needs-based job or outcome record in accordance with a coherent relational model; a solution engine, wherein, in operation, the solution engine creates a solution record including a capability parameter indicative of a degree of capability of a solution in achieving the needs-based job or outcome using the constraint parameter, and stores the solution record in accordance with the coherent relational model; a capability computation engine coupled to the needs-based job or outcome engine and the solution engine, wherein, in operation, the capability computation engine computes a difference between the capability parameter for the solution and one or more constraints associated with the constraint parameter of the needs-based job or outcome; a commercial activity server coupled to the capability computation engine, wherein, in operation, facilitates management of commercial actions taken in association with the difference between the constraint parameter of the needs-based job or outcome and the capability parameter of the solution, wherein disparate marketing and product development information solutions are stored in the coherent relational model.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the difference between the capability parameter and the constraint parameter is indicative of potential innovation to achieve a new solution to the needs-based job or outcome more effectively bounded by relevant constraints.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein inventory is collected in formation, and stored in data tables that are integrated relationally to job or outcome data.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein, in operation, the needs-based job or outcome engine finds passages in documents that relate semantically to the needs-based job or outcome that are systematically selected and related to the needs-based job or outcome record.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein, in operation, the commercial activity server uses the systematized relationships to provide information for work that can benefit from the information.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein, in operation, the solution engine finds passages in documents that relate semantically to the solution that are systematically selected and related to the solution record.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein, in operation, the commercial activity server uses the systematized relationships to provide information for work that can benefit from the information.
 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a jobs and outcomes repository coupled to the needs-based job or outcome engine, for storing the needs-based job or outcome record.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a solutions repository coupled to the solution engine, for storing the solution record.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the capability computation engine creates a capability/constraint difference record, further comprising a capability/constraint difference repository coupled to the capability computation engine, for storing the capability/constraint difference record.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein, in operation, the commercial activity server identifies the needs-based job or outcome and identifies the solution in association with the needs-based job or outcome.
 12. A method comprising: creating a job or outcome data structure including at least one constraint parameter associated with a job or outcome; storing the job or outcome data structure in accordance with a coherent relational model; creating a solution data structure including a capability parameter indicative of a capability of a solution to meet needs of the job or outcome using the constraint parameter; storing the solution data structure in accordance with the coherent relational model; computing a difference between the capability parameter for the solution and one or more constraints associated with the constraint parameter of the job or outcome; facilitating management of commercial actions taken in association with the difference between the constraint parameter of the job or outcome and the capability parameter of the solution.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the difference between the capability parameter and the constraint parameter is indicative of potential innovation to achieve a new solution to the needs-based job or outcome more effectively bounded by relevant constraints.
 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising finding passages in documents that relate semantically to the needs-based job or outcome that are systematically selected and related to the needs-based job or outcome record.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising using the systematized relationships in work that can benefit from the information.
 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising finding passages in documents that relate semantically to the solution that are systematically selected and related to the solution record.
 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising linking disparate marketing and product development information solutions into a coherent relational model, including the capability parameter of the solution.
 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying the job or outcome and the solution in association with the job or outcome.
 19. A system comprising: a means for parameterizing a needs-based job or outcome, including at least one constraint parameter associated with the job or outcome, to create a needs-based job or outcome data structure in accordance with a coherent relational model; a means for identifying a capability associated with a solution, wherein a capability parameter for the solution is indicative of a degree of capability of the solution in achieving the needs-based job or outcome; a means for parameterizing the solution in association with the needs-based job or outcome and the capability parameter of the solution, to create a solution data structure in accordance with the coherent relational model; a means for computing a difference between the capability parameter for the solution and constraints associated with the at least one constraint parameter of the needs-based job or outcome; a means for providing data associated with the difference between the capability and the constraints to a commercial activity engine, wherein the commercial activity engine identifies the needs-based job or outcome, identifies the solution in association with the needs-based job or outcome, and facilitates management of commercial actions taken in association with the difference between the constraint parameter of the needs-based job or outcome and the capability parameter of the solution.
 20. The system of claim 16, further comprising a means for finding passages in documents that relate semantically to the needs-based job or outcome and systematically selecting and relating the passages to the needs-based job or outcome record.
 21. The method of claim 17, further comprising a means for using the systematized relationships in work that can benefit from the information.
 22. The method of claim 16, further comprising a means for finding passages in documents that relate semantically to the solution and systematically selecting and relating the passages to the solution record.
 23. The method of claim 19, further comprising a means for using the systematized relationships in work that can benefit from the information.
 24. A system comprising: a coherent relational model; a collaboration and knowledge integration platform coupled to the coherent relational model; a value added workflow engine coupled to the collaboration and knowledge integration platform, wherein, in operation: the value added workflow engine provides data to an enterprise and receives enterprise-specific inputs from the enterprise; the collaboration and knowledge integration platform integrates the enterprise-specific inputs into the coherent relational model; the coherent relational model provides augmented data to the enterprise, including proposed solutions to jobs or outcomes identified in the enterprise-specific inputs in accordance with activities, assets, priorities, or constraints identified in the enterprise-specific inputs; wherein the augmented data is useful to the enterprise in generating ideas or determining how to allocate resources to meet needs. 